Voltage-regulator.



W. A. TURBAYNE.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1,1911.

Patented July 28, 1914.

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UNiT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. TURBAYNE, 0F BUFFALO, YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 CENTRAL TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK, TRUSTEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

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Patented July 28, 1914.

Application filed May 1, 1911. Serial No. 624,480.

had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to electric regulators.

It is adapted particularly for a regulator wherein a contact member vibrates at high speed to open and close a short circuit around a controlling winding which controls a regulating resistance. Of course, the in vention is not limited to this particular use.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a regulator which shall be extremely sensitive and which will respond readily to slight. tendencies toward variations in volt- Another object is to provide a regulator which shall be simple in construction and stable in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a regulator in which a high .rate of vibration of the short-circuiting elements is attained without-the use of the auxiliary devices heretofore used and known as high speed coils.

For the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings two embodiments thereof.

Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically one of said embodiments. Fig. 2 illustrates diagrammatically the other of said embodiments.

Referring to Fig. 1. A regulating resistance 1 is shown, adapted for connection in the particular circuit to be regulated. In

the present case it is shown connected in the circuit 2, 3, which represents any desired circuit. Of course, it may be connected in a generator shunt field circuit, or in other relations, as" desired. The regulating medium illustrated is a variable pressure rheostat although other forms of regulating medium may be employed. '1' he pressure on the. series of contacting resistance plates or elements is controlled by the controlling Winding 4 which may be connected in any suitable manner to a source of current.- In

the present instance-it is connected acrossthe mains 2 and 3. The controlling winding 4 varies the pressure on the resistance plates by means of the bell crank lever 5 and the core 6 connected thereto. The action of these movable parts is steadied by the dashpot 7 and the bell crank lever and core are normally in lowermost position, due to their weight, assisted by the spring 8. The controlling winding 4 is normally inert, being short-circuited by the resilient reed 9 carrying the contact 10 which cooperates with the relatively stationary adjustable contact 11. The contacts are adapted to separate for the purpose of permitting the euergization of the winding 4: whenever the reed 9 is drawn down in response to the energization of the voltage coil 12 connected across the circuit 2,

3. A resistance 18 is preferably connected.

in circuitwith the voltage coil 12 to act as an economizing resistance or to prevent undue heating of the coil 12 and consequent change of resistance, causing the regulator to respond at varying voltage under different circumstances. A resistance 14 is connected in the circuit containing thecontrolling winding 4 and prevents short-circuiting of the mains when said winding is short-circuited. A resistance 15 is connected across the short-circuiting contacts 10, 11, to minimize sparking and to render the voltage coil 12 substantially open-circuited when the short-circuiting contacts are separated. The resistance 1 is normally a minimum with the core 6 in lowermost position. When the voltage impressed on the mains 2, 3 tends to exceed a predetermined value, the energization of the coil 12 increases sufiioiently to cause the resilient reed 9 to be drawn down, thereby opening the short circuit around the controlling winding 4, whereby said winding is momentarily energiZed and draws up the core 6 to increase the resistance of the variable pressure rhe'ostat. This increase of resistance in the circuit under regulation tends to diminish the effectiveness of the coil 12 whereby the reed 9 would be permitted to spring back and again short-circuit said winding 4, even if the voltage coil 12 continued to be connected directly across the mains. It is apparent, therefore, that the effectiveness of the coil 12 diminishes in response to the lowering mains 2, 3, is prac-tically open-circuited as soon as the contacts 10, 11, Separate. It is therefore immediately denergized or substantially deenergized, thereby permitting an instantaneous return of the resilient reed 9 to short-circuiting position, whereupon said coil 12is again energized and said winding 4 is again short-circuited. The res lient reed is therefore again drawn down, and this cycle of operation is repeated very rapidly. The increased rapidity of vibration of the reed 9, due to the connection of the voltage coil 12 through the short-circuiting contacts whereby said coil is practically open-circuited when said contacts separate, renders the operation of the device very sensitive. The voltage impressed upon the mains is therefore regulated and held within the desired limit, any tendency toward increasing voltage producing a change in the character of the vibrations, whereby the mean ener gization of the controlling winding 4 is in creased to increase the resistance of the variable pressure rheostat to oil-set this increasing tendency. It should be noted that the short-circuiting contacts are connected in a practically non-inductive circuit and therefore sparking is reduced to a minimum. The rcsist-ance'15 tends to absorb any slight inductive kick when the short circuit is opened.

In Fig. 2, the principles outlined above are applied to a regulation of the lamp circuit of a car lighting system. The lamp circuit 16, 17 is supplied by a storage battery 18 which may be charged in any suitable manner. Between the storage battery 18 and the lamps 19 a regulating resistance 20 is connected in circuit, which may also be of the variable pressure rheostat type, or any other suitable type. The regulating winding 21 when energized controls the resistance 20. This winding, however, is normally short-circuited by the short-circuiting arm 22, provided with suitable double contacts to minimize the sparking, and is normally held in uppermost or short-circuiting position by the spring 23. A voltage coil 24 is connected across the lamp circuit through the short-circuiting member 22 and is adapted when energized, to oppose the action of the spring 23 and cause the arm 22 to openthe short-circuit around the Winding 21, thereby permitting the momen tary energization of the same.

The operation is substantially the same as that previously described. The short-circuiting arm 22 and the contacts carried thereby vibrate at a high rate to control the mean energization of the winding 21, the voltage coil 24 being substantially open-circuited when the contacts separate, as the resistance 25 is connected across the contacts and therefore connected in circuit with said voltage coil when said contacts separate.

By virtue of the arrangement just described, the voltage which tends to be impressed on the lamp circuit is maintained within predetermined limits.

It is apparent from the above that I do not desire to limit myself to the particular embodiments of my invention described herein, as these embodiments were selected for the purpose of illustration only. I desire, therefore, to cover any suitable equivalent means for accomplishing the desired result and falling within the scope .of the appended claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1- l. A regulator comprising a variable resistance, a winding controlling said resistance, a resistance connected incircuit with said winding, contacts normally short-circuit-ing said winding but not said resistance, whereby said winding is normally'inert, and a voltage coil adapted to cause a rapid vibration of one of said contacts to permit the encrgization of said winding, said coil being connected in circuit through said con tacts Wherebyit is substantially open-circuited by the separation of said contacts.

2. A regulator comprising separable contacts, resilient means normally tending to maintain said contacts in engagement, a single voltage coil adapted when energized su iciently to oppose said resilient means and separate said contacts, said coil being connected in the circuit in which said contacts are included and therefore being substantially open-'circuited when said contacts separate whereby said resilient means again causes the engagement of said contacts to again permit the energization of said voltage coil and a controlling winding the energization of whichis also regulated by said contacts.

3. A regulator comprising a variable pressure rheostat, a controlling winding therefor, mechanical connections between said winding and said rheostat including a core for said winding, a bell crank lever connected to said core and a spring acting on said lever to normally maintain the resistance of said rheostat at a minimum value, a device-adapted to vibrate rapidly for opening and closing a short circuit around said winding to permit the energization thereof for the purpose of overcoming the tendency of said spring and increasing the resistance of said rheostat, and a voltage responsive coil adapted to cause said vibrations, said coil being connected to said vibrating member whereby it is substantially deenergized whenever said controlling winding is energized.

4. In a system of electrical distribution, in combination, a source of electrical energy, a circuit and translating device supplied. thereby, a regulating resistance in said circuit a controlling winding connected across said circuit, a voltage responsive coil connected across said circuit; a short-circuiting device controlled thereby. said short-circuit ing device being adapted to vibrate at a high rate of speed in response to the energization and denergization of said voltage coil which is connected in circuit With said short-circuiting device, said short-circuiting device controlling also the energization of said controlling Windin to regulate the mean energization thereo and hence to confine the voltage impressed on said translating device within predetermined limits.

5. In a car lighting system, a circuit to be regulated, regulating means directly associated therewith, a vibrating short-circuiting device for controlling said means and a voltage coil only for causing said vibrations, said voltage coil being connected across said circuit whereby it responds to variations in the voltage impressed thereon, said coil being connected also in series with said short--circuiting device to increase the rapidity of vibration. v

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of tWo Witnesses. v

WILLIAM A. TURBAYNE. Witnesses:

CAMPBELL C. CARPENTER, LAUREN A. PETTEBONE. 

